Thank you for stopping by the Weather Watch 12 blog! The potential for severe weather increases across Wisconsin this week. In today's blog we discuss the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms and when the potential for storms is the highest.

A quick reminder if you are on the go you can take interactive radar with you. Load the free WISN 12 News app to your phone, or 'like' the Wisconsin Weather UpdatesFacebook page for updates. You can also follow me on Twitter @jnelsonweather

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As warm, humid and increasingly unstable air flows into the upper Midwest the threat for severe thunderstorms will increase through Wednesday. The first chance for potentially strong to severe storms for southeastern Wisconsin will arrive Monday night.

Let's start with the big picture before looking closer at southern Wisconsin. The Storm Prediction Center has southeast Wisconsin in the slight risk for severe thunderstorms through 7am Tuesday morning. A moderate or increased risk is located across parts of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

A large area of thunderstorms known as an MCS or Mesoscale Convective System will push across the upper Midwest from Monday evening into Monday night. The main severe weather threats will be damaging straight-line winds and hail once the storms reach Wisconsin.

Futurecast is showing an intense line of thunderstorms racing east around 2am. Along with the threat for strong winds the storms will contain heavy downpours and vivid lightning. This line of thunderstorms will likely lose some of its punch before arriving in far southeast Wisconsin.

While the tornado threat looks low for Wisconsin; parts of Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska may see supercell thunderstorms that produce tornadoes over the next 24 hours.

So far Wisconsin has not seen one documented tornado in 2014. Through June 16 this is the 6th latest start to a tornado season ever in Wisconsin.

The streak may end this week with several chances for severe weather across the state. Mid to late June is climatologically the peak of tornado season in Wisconsin. June 17 is when tornado probabilities are the highest in Wisconsin according to the Storm Prediction Center. The map below shows the percent chance of a tornado on June 17. While the odds are still very low, this is the peak day of tornado season on average in Wisconsin.

Looking at the averages it makes sense that the potential for severe weather exists across Wisconsin for part of this week. Make sure to watch WISN 12 News for updates on possible severe weather watches and the timing of thunderstorms.